Iranian warning: Military operations could expand from Indian Ocean to Mediterranean Sea
Iran threatens to expand war, target potential US bases, and accuses Washington of blocking negotiation path
Iran’s top military advisor to the Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, has threatened to expand the scope of Iranian military operations to include areas stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, in the event the United States returns to the military option against Iran, in statements carrying clear escalatory messages toward Washington.
Mohsen Rezaei said in an interview with CNN that Iran would expand the scope of its military operations if attacked by the United States, indicating that any potential confrontation would not be limited to a narrow geographical scope.
He added that “the scope of Iranian military operations will extend to strategic maritime areas starting from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea,” in the event of a US attack on Iran.
Dead end in negotiations
Regarding the diplomatic path, Rezaei considered that negotiations between Iran and the United States have reached a “dead end,” without ruling out a role for US President Donald Trump in breaking the current stalemate.
He said that Trump is “the party capable of breaking this deadlock,” referring to the possibility of restarting the negotiation path.
Expanding the scope of confrontation
In additional warnings, Rezaei explained that any resumption of war would push Iran to “give the conflict a new dimension,” by expanding the scope of confrontation beyond the Gulf region.
He pointed to the possibility of targeting US bases in multiple areas, saying: “We will attack other US bases beyond those we have already targeted,” specifying areas extending from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Despite this, he said the likelihood of a new war breaking out remains low, according to his assessment.
Joint sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz
On the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei reaffirmed the Iranian position that Iran and Oman have joint sovereignty over the strait, and that it is managed jointly.
He also defended the idea of imposing fees on transiting ships, explaining that they are not fees for passing through the strait but rather for the costs of its management and maintenance.
Direct confrontation scenario
Rezaei also touched on the scenario of a direct US invasion, saying that Iran is prepared for such a possibility, adding that “the world will then discover Iran’s true capabilities.” He indicated that Iran’s ground forces, in his description, surpass its missile capabilities by several times.
In his assessment of recent military developments, Rezaei described the outcome of the previous confrontation as representing “Iran’s first military victory” since the establishment of the Islamic Republic 47 years ago.
He said that Iran used to lose in previous wars, while this time it managed to achieve a different outcome, according to his expression.
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